Reality has a funny way of catching up as people grow older, whilst life’s various ebb and flows often determine the most unpredictable yet remarkable outcomes. Although living in the past might ultimately mess your mind up, it’ll undeniably determine the path which your future self shalt tread upon. Billy Starks, formerly known as ‘Billy The Kid’, was for a time locally renowned throughout Yorkshire’s far-reaching underground hip-hop community, on account of his ability as a conscious wordsmith as well as an unsavoury reputation which today is a topic that he prefers avoiding in our conversation concerning his first release in over 7 years.

A writer since the age of 15, Billy grew up in Bradley, representing HD2. He began taking his lyrical craft seriously back in 2005 when he dropped a rare and rough 17 track mixtape recorded at Scarborough University, before going on to release his personally thought-provocative, socially reflective sequel called ‘Hunger Pains’ which effectively solidified his stance in Yorkshire’s millennial hip-hop movement.

Since a string of singles released in 2008, Billy has bided his time in an ongoing effort to assert some structure to a once insensible lifestyle, or as he more specifically cites, he decided to shift focus to “kids, work and all that”. However, around March 2015, Billy’s writers block became relieved and after linking up with Huddersfield’s Unit 7 studio, he’s been back recording and now feels ready to unleash the lessons learnt over his 8 year recuperation from an unashamed menace to society into a guy that’s just trying to do right, with a hard-hitting 12 track mixtape called ‘The Revolution Will Not Get Radio Play’, set for release January 2nd 2016.

Less than a week away from the release date, we caught up with Billy Starks to unravel details regarding his unexpected return to recording, in-depth insights into tracks from the upcoming mixtape and future projects currently in the works due to drop across the duration of 2016.

Billy Starks, how did you become affiliated with Unit 7?

I’ve known Mills for years, he’s always been trying to get me in the studio. We started a project once back in 2010/11, but at the time I couldn’t write, so it fell to bits.

How have Unit 7 been beneficial behind the scenes of recording ‘The Revolution Will Not Get Radio Play’?

I couldn’t have done it without them. There was nowhere else to do it, because I’ve been working stupid hours and crap wage I can’t really afford to be paying for studio so they put me on the artist development, so if anything happens with it, we all split the money instead of having to pay straight out for the studio, so it’s a big help really to be fair.

Are there any other studios making movements on the scale of Unit 7 within Huddersfield?

Not that I know of. There’s people doing their thing but not a community orientated project like this.

When did you start penning down bars for the upcoming mixtape?

I started writing for it in March this year. There was meant to be twelve tracks, but I think I’ve come back in and recorded another five, but I don’t think they’re all going to make it.

Is the mixtape a precursor for more future projects?

It’s definitely a bit of build up to my EP and the album.

Are the lyrical contents going to be similar thematically?

The content to this will be slightly different to the EP. There’s songs on this mixtape that lean toward what’s being said on the EP but this mixtape is saying… It’s like a flashback at points of what I used to be and saying goodbye to that life, telling people to wake up really; that you can’t just be what they’re talking about in music right now all the time.

Have you prepared any visuals for tracks lifted from the mixtape?

I’ve done a Let Loose freestyle for Mills, they’re a few bars off the mixtape. But there’s a video dropping the same day as the mixtape for one of the songs called ‘Wake Up’. It’s not been filmed yet, it’ll be filmed over Christmas and then we’re dropping it January 2nd.

Who are the producers involved with the mixtape?

Most of the beats were instrumentals ripped off YouTube, but there’s a producer on there called G Dad, he makes that old school boom bap hip-hop and that’s what I’ve always been about. He’s from Huddersfield, Crossland Moor. I’ve only known him a few years but he’s got ridiculous talent.

Does the project have any other features, lyrically or instrumentally?

My partner Denica West sings on a few choruses, my friend Shuffles is on a couple of choruses, Spida Lee spits a verse on one song, Jay Cactus on the same song… Ricardo, who calls himself Self Dhalsim, he’s on one. 2 Bad’s on it. S1’s on it as well. Can’t think of any more, don’t want to leave anybody out…

Which tracks do you hope resonate with listeners the most?

One called ‘More To Life’, it’s just telling these rappers around that they’re all relating to rich rappers, but they’re from a council estate, you can’t relate to them. So I’m telling them there’s more to life than what they’re talking about – money all the time. You can’t have money all the time. You can’t be a kingpin in a town like Huddersfield. Having been through situations in your life, you’re lucky to be here. There’s more to life.

There’s another one called ‘Injustice’ with Shuffles on it as well. That’s more about… injustice to be fair. Social injustice and especially police who bully the council estate kids.

There’s one song called ’03 State Of Mind’, a flashback to when I used to be out there robbing and all that, it’s just telling the story of how that fell to pieces and how I changed my mind about doing it.

One called ‘Ride’, asking people if they’re actually… If you say you’re my friend, are you really my friend, are you going to be there through thick and thin?

They’re all deep tracks, that’s what I’m about. I’ve always been like that ever since I’ve started – putting my heart on it always. Maybe not the best lyricist but when it comes to telling the truth and being emotional on songs, I’m all about keeping the straight-up honesty.

Have you got any gigs or shows lined up to showcase the release?

Not yet. We had one that was meant to be in Parish in January but fell through, but we’re doing a Unit 7 1st Birthday showcase down the Buddha Bar on January 22nd.

Billy Starks, thank you for your time. Have you got any final shout outs?

To Mills, KD, everybody at Unit 7. Shuffles, Denica, 2 Bad, Ricky, Shaw, Dwayne, Gdad Mitch, Gary, Jahrel Mission, Kez Music aka 94ent, everybody involved in the project, everybody in Huddersfield that’s trying to get out there with their music and a massive shout to yourself mate.

]]>http://www.fabricate-uk.com/exclusive-interview-billy-starks/feed/05850Interview: Moreone – ‘Turn Back’ EPhttp://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-moreone-turn-back-ep/
http://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-moreone-turn-back-ep/#respondTue, 15 Dec 2015 16:20:51 +0000http://www.fabricate-uk.com/?p=5837Out of all the crazy developments to have occurred within the UK hip-hop scene over 2015, the creation of In The Balance Records by Verb T was surely one of the most excitingly unpredictable. The announcement dropped around October, with the news that the label had already acquired the lyrical abilities […]

Out of all the crazy developments to have occurred within the UK hip-hop scene over 2015, the creation of In The Balance Records by Verb T was surely one of the most excitingly unpredictable. The announcement dropped around October, with the news that the label had already acquired the lyrical abilities of Chillman, Madlean and an up-and-coming Londoner known as Moreone, who’s Turn Back single was the first demonstrator to be leaked from the label.

Moreone’s early renown stems from the release of his first project called Morbiddenziller in 2014 alongside his brother Denziller, which was showcased live on-stage at Boom Bap Festival 2013 before being released in May 2014. The album also featured in our shortlist of the Top 5 UK Hip Hop album débuts of 2014 earlier this year. Over the last 12 months Moreone has been patiently crafting his début solo album ‘3991’ which is set for release sometime next year, which is now an even more exciting prospect knowing that Moreone has been taken the wing of Four Owls member Verb T – a UK hip-hop veteran who has released records with Low Life, YNR and High Focus Records.

With the recent release of Moreone’s Turn Back EP, we decided it was about time we caught up with Moreone to uncover how he became affiliated with Verb T, details about In The Balance Records and to learn insights into the Turn Back EP as well as his upcoming solo album 3991.

Moreone, as you know we rated your début album Morbiddenziller incredibly highly. Have you had many opportunities to tour with your brother Denziller since the album’s dropped?

The CD dropped in 2014 and we were fortunate enough to début it at Boombap festival. The best Morbiddenziller show to date was either when he headlined a night out on by Backyard Boogaloo in Bournemouth, or the first ever Boom Bap festival. My first international show was recently in Austria. It was crazy. I used the word crazy talking to the promoter and co. 873 times during the day of the event. I would love to return to Innsbruck at some point.

Over the past few months we’ve clocked that you began making movements alongside the veteran Verb T. How did you meet Verb T in the first place?

Funnily enough, I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to tell people about this.

Picture the scene, I’ve just been booked for the first Boom Bap festival and they are putting on a night with Jam Baxter to promote the Gruesome Features album. I needed to go and rep. I asked my brother and some close friends to roll, nobody was on it. I decided to rustle up what I could and go on my ones because I knew it wasn’t to be missed. I had just about enough to get there and back on the tube, a couple of drinks and buy a ticket to get in the venue. For whatever reason I didn’t check how to get from the tube station to the venue. It wasn’t until I got there that I realised. So I’m outside Brixton station with no clue as to how to get to the Jamm and no phone to Google map it or whatever. I looked up to ask someone where it was and that person happened to be Verb T. In a matter of five minutes walking to the venue we got chatting and Verbs being the safe-as-fuck down-to-earth G that he is, said to me these exact words…

“Don’t worry about buying a ticket, I’ll get you a VIP pass but in exchange you’ll have to come up on stage and spit a bar.”

And so, that night I went from being any other fan in the packed out crowd, to jumping up as a special guest for Verb T’s set. It was surreal.

So when did Verb T invite you to become involved with In The Balance Records?

Shortly after that particular show he asked me to come and do some more shows with him and we just built on the relationship from there. We worked on some music and is was at that point verbs suggested that he produced my album and put it out on In The Balance Records.

Can you give us an insight into the ethos or objective that drives In The Balance Records?

The main aim is to murder everyone. One by one. That’s what we are going to do. Nah in all seriousness, it’s just about putting out good music. You can see from the first three artists on the label what direction Verb T wants to go with it.

Who are the artist’s currently signed to the roster alongside yourself?

So far it’s Chillman, Madlean and myself.

The Turn Back EP features three tracks (not counting the remixes), were these the first three tracks you’d come up with since joining In The Balance Records or are they the ones which made the final shortlist?

Turn Back and Holding On were made in the early stages of working with Verb, whereas Most High was later down the line. I felt like these would give a nice preview as to what is on the album. Most High is exclusive to the EP but Turn Back and Holding on will be on the album too. I’m very lucky to have had Leaf, Illinformed and Chemo remix them for my EP.

Which remix have you been bumping to the most?

Firstly, big up all three producers for providing us with the remixes. I like each remix in a different way. When I was sent the Chemo Turn Back remix I was at work and shouted ‘Fuck off’ in the office because I was so happy with it. The Leaf dog remix is probably my favourite, I still go pretty nuts when I listen back to it but the Illinformed remix is heavy too so it’s difficult. I’m going to say Most High remix by Leaf dog.

Is the Turn Back EP essentially a precursor for the upcoming ‘3991’ album due 2016, or are they in fact tracks which you’d had ready for a while and you just couldn’t sit on them any longer?

Precisely that. This will give you all a preview of what’s to come in the near future and the money we make off the EP will all go towards CDs and vinyl when the album drops.

We’ve clocked the video for your Turn Back single, do you want to shout out the heads that handled the filming process for that?

Big up Above Ground Media who filmed and edited the video but a very big thanks also goes out to my life long friend Kieron (The London Vagabond) who come and took us to some of the locations in the video. He also took photos for me and we will be using some for the album artwork.

Where was it filmed and what’s your stand-out memory of the experience?

The thing I remember most is that it was an extremely stressful day for me due to personal issues but I still managed to get the video done. It’s weird because so often when I’m taking the next step forward, I have been dealt a setback in one way or another but I somehow seem to take heed in the famous words of Danny Bedingfield and think ‘I gotta get through this’ and it all tends to work out in the end.

Have you got any more visuals set to drop from the Turn Back EP?

Yeah the next video is going to be out maybe even before this interview drops. Then we plan to release a few more videos to back up the album.

Can you give us any idea of when the ‘3991’ album is set to drop?

Release date TBA very soon. I won’t bother building anyone up to drop you down on a bed of nothingness, well nothing other than what’s already dropped.

Can you reveal any exclusive insights into the ‘3991’ project?

I’m afraid the only exclusive insight into the album I can reveal is the Turn Back EP.

Have you got shows or tours lined up to promote the Turn Back EP, or anywhere we could catch you over the rest of 2015?

I will be posting on my social network sites about upcoming shows as and when they are confirmed.

Moreone, thanks for your time. Have you got any final shout outs?

I’d like to send a big shout out to the horrible cunt who did a shit on my doorstep the other week. And big up everyone who is supporting the new label. Big up my Mum, my girlfriend, my whole family, Verb T, Lost Soul, Denz, Chillman, Madlean, Aboveground and last but not least Lesman, Ker, Roadman Kinder and Tills.

We recently caught up with Lost Propz, Huddersfield’s hottest up-and-coming grime prospect to discuss intimate details regarding his début full length project ‘Grimey Northern Guy Volume 1’, which features 10 fire tracks that are available for free download. Read on to discover Lost Propz’s rise into grime, how his affiliation with Unit 7 began, details about his début release and what he’s got in store for the future.

Let’s take it back to the beginning – can you give us an insight into what inspired you to become a grime artist from early?

I’ve always been doing grime. I would definitely say Dizzee Rascal – Boy In Da Corner was a big influence for me, it was a lot dirtier than the stuff that was out there at the time in the charts. Also there was some local people in Huddersfield who I’d heard on forums, getting their tracks by infrared and things like that pushed me to do it. I’d always enjoyed doing English at school, I enjoyed poetry, so it came hand in hand really.

You represent the Huddersfield label Unit 7, how did you become involved with them?

A lot of it is to do with my mate KD. Before Unit 7 there was a group of us and to be honest, KD was always the one that was switched on and knew what he was doing, being ‘mister organised’ and to be fair if it wasn’t for him, there would have been a lot of stuff I wouldn’t have done. Whenever my personal life has been hectic, he’s always been the one that’s like ‘Right, you need to get this done’. When it comes to Unit 7, Mills has been doing his thing and building this up. What we’ve got here is pretty much a dream, when we’ve been recording in rubbish booths and having socks on microphones, now to be able to be in a nice decent quality studio…

Are there any other studios in Huddersfield doing what Unit 7 is doing?

Not that I know of.

How long was Grimey Northern guy in the makings for and how have Unit 7 been beneficial behind the scenes if you believe they have?

This album has two tracks off it that I did in 2014, because I did originally record twelve tracks for it in 2014 and over the process, we weren’t really happy with the recordings because they were done at Halifax college. When it came round to April this year I ended up taking some old stuff out, put some new stuff in there and I only ended up keeping two tracks out of the twelve, so I pretty much started again. If it wasn’t for Unit 7 I wouldn’t have it out, so much respect.

Does the project have any features?

I’ve actually been really boring with this one, it’s got no collaborations but on my next one that I’m doing which will be Grimey Northern Guy Volume 2, that’s going to have loads of collaborations in. To be honest I’ve got loads of mates who I should be collaborating with and I need to get some of these projects done.

Was there a practical reason why you chose not to feature any other heads on Volume 1?

I’m a fast worker, I’m of them that could get passed a beat now and I would come back with bars tomorrow, so it’s one of them things. Plus you’re relying on somebody else sometimes and you could be waiting ages for them to do their part of the project. I like getting things done fast when it’s something which interests me.

Which track do you hope resonates with listeners the most and why?

I’d probably say Froggy, which is my second track, it’s more of a deeper thing. I haven’t really gone fully into depth in the track about anything too much, but I give a little perspective in there about my background in my life. I think there’s stuff in there that people could relate to. I think people could relate to a lot of my tracks, but I would say most of this mixtape is just more broadcasting what I can do, there aren’t many topics which I’ve hit head on.

Are they any concepts or themes on the release or is it more of an all out demonstration of your ability?

I’d say it’s more about my ability, but also on Flashbacks I talk a little bit about my past and stuff, but I’ll be going more into detail with that with an EP.

Were there any particular experiences which influenced the making of any tracks?

I would say in my past, I was on some next madness, some of it good some of it bad, but that’s where a lot of people can relate. Where I’ve messed up there’s always somebody out there that can relate to what I’ve done in some ways. I’d definitely say as well that through all the bad things, music’s the one thing that’s helped by always being there and being consistent with me, doesn’t matter if I’m in a bad or good mood, music’s there.

We clocked the visual which dropped for the I Got Bars track, do you want to shout out the heads who helped bring that together?

Big up Mills on camera for that and all my boys who turned up in pretty rubbish weather, but we still managed to get some heads out. It was quite fun, except getting my foot totally soaked in the gutter (laughs).

I’m quite surprised that locally, there’s a lot of people interested because they’ve seen a local town video. It might not be there sort of music, but I’ve had people say they like it who you wouldn’t expect to like it really, so…

Is it you that does the back-flip?

Yeah that was me. I used to do free-running, my body doesn’t let me do it too much now though.

Have you got any more visuals set to drop from the project?

Yeah next week we’re doing the video for Froggy and then I’m hoping to get a show out soon because for the final video for this mixtape will be for Go Mental. It’s probably one of my hypest tracks, it’s got a lot of energy in it. So I wouldn’t mind a show so we can have some shots from that. The track’s called Go Mental so I’m gonna have a lot of mates jumping about going mental (laughs).

Have you had a launch night or performed a particularly hype event showcasing the release as of yet? If so, can you recall what went down?

I’ve done some of the tracks at a live show already, but I haven’t really had a chance for a launch, but the first opportunity I get I’ll be letting people know.

We clocked your freestyle with Let Loose, are they a local movement?

It’s Interactive Communications Network, it’s a project I’ve just recently got involved in. A few of my mates were involved in them already and it’s another good thing which is getting things done. Let Loose looks professional, I’ve been very impressed with it all. I’ve definitely got to do another one soon as well. They broadcast talent a lot and in Huddersfield alone there’s a ridiculous amount of talent.

Lost Propz, thanks for your time. Have you got any final shout outs?Shout out Mills, everyone at Unit 7 and big shout out to all those I grew up with that inspired me to do positive things.

]]>http://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-lost-propz-grimey-northern-guy-volume-1/feed/05825Review: Dead Players – Freshly Skeletal LPhttp://www.fabricate-uk.com/review-dead-players-freshly-skeletal-lp/
http://www.fabricate-uk.com/review-dead-players-freshly-skeletal-lp/#respondSat, 28 Nov 2015 14:19:12 +0000http://www.fabricate-uk.com/?p=5756Dead Players are a London based experimental hip-hop trio signed to High Focus Records. The threepiece consists of a producer known as GhostTown and two MC’s called Jam Baxter & Dabbla. Jam Baxter emerged into the UK hip-hop scene through collaborations with the Contact Play collective, where he built a solid […]

Dead Players are a London based experimental hip-hop trio signed to High Focus Records. The threepiece consists of
a producer known as GhostTown and two MC’s called Jam Baxter & Dabbla.

Jam Baxter emerged into the UK hip-hop scene through collaborations with the Contact Play collective, where he built a solid reputation on account of his ability to recite complex rhymes with insane syllabic stamina. He went on to release his début album Rinse Out Friday / Spack Out Monday in 2010 with High Focus Records, taking his acclaim as an independent artist to new heights. Since then he’s released three more enigmatic, cannibalistic and downright disconcerting chapters to his solo discography; Gruesome Features LP, Fresh Flesh EP & …So We Ate Them Whole LP which was released earlier this year.

Dabbla is one of London’s unsung heroes in terms of his lyrical capabilities. As a member of both LDZ and Problem Child, his experience is not be understated; since he released his first song in the ether called ‘Morning Worship’ on Fist Of Jah by Dubbledge in 2005, he has released 2 albums & 2 EP’s for LDZ, 1 Problem Child album, 1 solo EP and now 2 full length Dead Players LP’s as well. Whether he’s letting loose with some satirical comedy or telling you exactly how things are with a fully forthright flow, Dabbla’s rhymes are so convincing that you’ll have difficulty believing they aren’t influenced by his personal experiences, which usually makes for a captivating listen.

The legacy of producer GhostTown stems from his first release back in 2009 on a Skrein album called The Eat Up, which contained a couple of his own electric beats. Since then he’s overseen about 15 more collaborative projects, a mammoth testament to his passion for creating experimental hip-hop. GhostTown’s productions defy convention as he produces music that’s undefinable to specific genre’s, preferring to implement multiple musical influences such as hip-hop, dancehall, grime & trap on an instrumental than just one – basically you can always be assured that the sounds you’re hearing are abundantly fresh and almost entirely original.

Dead Players formed as a collective following an interview Jam Baxter gave in 2010, in which he revealed that the artist he’d ‘most like to collaborate with’ was Dabbla of LDN Zoo. Once Dabbla heard about it, the pair got to know each other and decided to combine forces with GhostTown, who had experience working with both lyricists beforehand, to create what eventually became the Dead Players. By 2013, they released their incredibly acclaimed self-titled début on High Focus Records.

For proof of their popularity you only have to backtrack to this Summer, when Dead Players exhibited their verbal finesse to packed crowds at Nozstock, Boombap & Boomtown Festival. A combination of the collective’s exhilarating energy, clinical delivery and lyrical intricacy ensured that they received plenty of positive receptions as well as newfound fan-bases, who arrived just in time for the announcement that Dead Players would drop their 2nd full length album; the Freshly Skeletal LP, which as Baxter recalls was created…“… over many an intoxicated night in my living room and on smoky summer afternoons on Dabbla’s veranda, with lyrics penned everywhere from Barnet to Brazil.”

The albums introductory is called Oh Well, opening with an intriguingly ominous instrumental from GhostTown, lulling the listener into a false sense of security before Dabbla commences with a sinister self-portrayal of his callous persona. Baxter follows, defining his eccentric mindset as he recollects a vivid array of distorted perceptions, giving the listener an accurate depiction of his illicit self. A compelling showcase of their individual traits.

This leads into Billa, which has an anthemic chorus and a hook made-up of chanting which goes ‘Billabillabillabilla…’, overlapped by a deep bass, pounding drums and wordplay that gives the impression that Dead Players are ready to commence on a warpath (Build another platform / Burn it to the ground / Winners to the front / Kick ’em while they’re down).

From there on out, the verbal animosity only intensifies. Nah –presumably a follow-up to the track Yeah from the Dead Players LP –displays the antagonistic passion of Baxter & Dabbla to the livest extent as they take particular issue with pricks; namely those who’d try tell them how to rap, act or even dare confiscate Baxter’s booze, which for future reference are just a few ways which’ll piss them off. GhostTown emphasizes with an instrumental that has an unnerving evil circus kind of vibe to it. Although the beat sounds a bit unorthodox alongside the lyrical hostility, it’s certainly fixating.

The first anthem lifted from Freshly Skeletal with a visual was Call Us Now filmed by Aboveground Media – a short and sweet exhibition of one of the album’s hypest tunes. You can expect the style to be consistent throughout the project.

This leads into track 5 called B.A.W.G. By this point in any album, a listener will probably have had the decision of whether to continue listening or switch to Youtube or something instead cross their minds. Well, with opening lines like Baxter’s – So I was riding a placenta out of this planets miscarriage / ballied up singing power ballads whilst I pissed acid –how could anyone not be further intrigued? Although admittedly his wordplay can be pretty difficult to immediately interpret, for the majority of the album Baxter’s rhymes are completely compelling to try and decrypt if you aren’t prepared to take his bars for their literal meaning.

The first big feature on Freshly Skeletal is Lee Scott (Blah Records) who makes his appearance on Do It. Scott initiates the track by demanding a drink from a fellow “la” before serenading the listener with what’s admittedly a pretty smooth ballad, which as the track unravels becomes the recurring chorus. If that’s not enough information for you to check it out then I don’t know what is.

GhostTown shines once again on Ringing with a beat that’s an engrossing mash-up of grimey, electro sounds fitted with manipulated bass levels which pack a punch with the speakers turned right up. Baxter & Dabbla bring the heat lyrically, Baxter commences by relieving his chest of some cynical outlooks on society whilst Dabbla goes in on an egotistical, antagonistic tip. There’s no clear correlation between their rhymes and the chorus is just as enigmatic, so it’s hard to suggest what the track’s actually about. It’s a banger though, still.

Another enlivening stand-out track is called High, where Dabbla effis, jeffs and basically wyles out whilst reminiscing on some wavy experiences over another hype beat from Ghostown, before Baxter relieves a few lucid renditions of his own to finish.

Infinite Limousine, probably the most energetic track featured on the project, is a high-octane grime-orientated posse cut featuring Sox, Ocean Wisdom, Illaman and Orific Vulgatron (Foreign Beggars) alongside Dead Players. Back to back the artists unleash their rapid flows with rhymes laced in comedic hostility, whilst GhostTown supports the spectacle with a bouncy, bassy beat guaranteed to make heads bang throughout the three-and-a-half minute track duration.

The tenth track Cooked is another hyperactive showcase which keeps the pulse pacing with screeching violins and resounding bass levels implemented into the instrumental, backing unrelentingly sharp-witted wordplay and a chorus which see’s Baxter revel in his cannibalistic comfort zone; my mind’s all Cooked / eat them all Cooked / Fling ’em in the furnace tell ’em it’s a look / left ’em in a back room hanging on a hook / bruv let’s cook, come on let’s cook, eat them all Cooked – the pace doesn’t cease and the project remains incredibly captivating.

Freshly Skeletal concludes with a finale called Drenching, for which GhostTown allows a minimalist yet heavy trap-infused beat to let the spotlight to shine on the lyricists for the last time. Baxter unleashes some more peppered metaphorical wordplay that hits the nail on the head each and every time. Dabbla comes through spitting with his usual top shotter flow, reinstating his position as an unrivalled emcee as well as a hardcore junkie. It’s an untouchable outro, with a fully addictive instrumental and bars which confirm that Dead Players are riding on top of the UK hip-hop scene.

The 11 track duration brings the album to a close within 45 minutes, it’s definitely not a strenuous listen and each track is an anthem in itself. Considering the collaborative history of the artists, the chemistry of the Dead Players collective is strikingly apparent. Both lyricists thrive over GhostTown’s intricately structured instrumentals which are full flavoured with invigorating sounds – the beats are surely one of the most captivating aspects of the release.

In regards to the lyricism, Jam Baxter & Dabbla both have individualistic styles, Baxter preferring to tear up an instrumental using cryptic metaphorical wordplay whereas Dabbla is much more forthright with his rhymes. You could argue that they clash at times, as subject matters become obscured by numerous potential interpretations, but even this slight criticism cannot deter the fact that the bars are still fully riveting whether you can grasp them or not. If you’re simply here to enjoy the music and not think too deeply into the messages a track tries to convey, then the duo will undoubtedly keep you fixated. This is another exemplary project to add to the artist’s extensive discographies, another showpiece for the illustrious High Focus roster that’s guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

]]>http://www.fabricate-uk.com/review-dead-players-freshly-skeletal-lp/feed/05756Interview: 10 Questions with Twizzy – “Home Ground” EPhttp://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-10-questions-with-twizzy-home-ground-ep/
http://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-10-questions-with-twizzy-home-ground-ep/#respondTue, 17 Nov 2015 16:12:26 +0000http://www.fabricate-uk.com/?p=5787Twizzy, member of the 3 Headed Beast collective, is a lyricist based in Bristol with a performing career which expands over a decade worth of experience. Last year his notoriety grew to new heights following the release of his FarmFoodz full length album alongside Farma G. This year he has collaborated with other […]

Twizzy, member of the 3 Headed Beast collective, is a lyricist based in Bristol with a performing career which expands over a decade worth of experience.

Last year his notoriety grew to new heights following the release of his FarmFoodz full length album alongside Farma G. This year he has collaborated with other UK hip-hop icons including Verb T, Genesis Elijah and has also found time to tour with Chester P.

Following the positive reception from his most recent full length album ‘Done With All The Bull’ which dropped in July, that was supported by SBTV who featured the tracks Not A Worry In The World & What We Like To Call on their Youtube channel, Twizzy is already set to release his second project of 2015; the ‘Home Ground’ EP on November 28th.

This will be his 13th project to date, a mammoth testament to his undying dedication to hip-hop.

In anticipation of the 28/11/15 release date we hit up Twizzy for 10 quick questions to get an exclusive insight into the project.

Photo by Emily Nolan

1 How long has the ‘Home Ground’ EP been in the makings for?

I’ve been working on this EP for over a year it was going to be a album but I wasn’t happy the some of the songs I wrote so I picked the best 7 tracks and made it a EP.

2 How did you and producer Mat Rafle meet – when did you decide to collaborate?

I found his beats on soundcloud and loved the vibes, messaged him and we got to work. He is in Australia so it’s a overseas collaboration.

3 You’ve already released ‘Done With all the Bull’ this year, how does this project differ thematically?

I would say it’s deeper, more lyrical and heartfelt.

4 Were there anybody who had a significant influence on how you wrote the project?

I think I just looked at family life and the struggles of the over all day to day.

5 Where was the majority of the project recorded – did you and Rafle spend much time in the studio together or was communication mainly digital?

It was all digital as he is on Australia and I’m in Bristol but hopeful one day I’ll get over there and record with him personally.

6 Have you got any funny or interesting stories from recording/creating the project?

Not really just do it all mostly on my own when the kids are at school. When me and MAB recorded the TTF track that was funny but I can’t think why!! Just cause we are stupid when we get together and have good vibes (laughs).

7 Do you believe that this project exhibits your ability as a lyricist to an even bigger extent than your previous releases?

I hope so and think so and a massive big up to Mat Rafle for the beats and everyone involved in making the EP as well as Max Syther on the heavy art work.

8 Which are your favourite tracks from the project – are any visuals set to drop?

Might do one video but not on a rush. My favourite track would have to be ‘The Topic’ & also ‘Flames’ with Inja.

9 Are there any features on the project?

I have a feature on every track apart from 2 and the intro so it’s good vibes all the way through different styles and flows for all to enjoy. Big ups Inja, Genesis Elijah, Elaborate, Jabbathakut & Jinxsta JX & MAB.

10 Have you got a launch night or tour lined up for the release we should keep an eye out for?

Sadly not I don’t get that many shows to be honest and I’ve never done release night for a project ever as I’ve always been worried no one would show up to be honest (laughs).

]]>http://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-10-questions-with-twizzy-home-ground-ep/feed/05787Interview: Lee Scott @ West Indian Centre, Leeds 16/10/15http://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-lee-scott-west-indian-centre-leeds-161015/
http://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-lee-scott-west-indian-centre-leeds-161015/#respondSun, 25 Oct 2015 18:24:20 +0000http://www.fabricate-uk.com/?p=5739Last weekend at the West Indian Centre in Leeds, we attended a hectic High Focus showcase which featured Dirty Dike & Verb T, performing their recently dropped LP’s Sucking On Prawns In The Moonlight & The Man With The Foggy Eyes. Whilst there we interviewed leading UK hip-hop innovator Lee Scott (Blah Records), who supported […]

Last weekend at the West Indian Centre in Leeds, we attended a hectic High Focus showcase which featured Dirty Dike & Verb T, performing their recently dropped LP’s Sucking On Prawns In The Moonlight & The Man With The Foggy Eyes.

Whilst there we interviewed leading UK hip-hop innovator Lee Scott (Blah Records), who supported the spectacle before speaking to us about how the tour had gone down so far, Cult of The Damned, Tourettes Camp and Tony Broke.

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Lee Scott, how has the Leeds crowd compared to the Liverpool crowd you encountered last night?

WHAAAT… Obviously the Liverpool crowd was live, was a smaller crowd but it was nice. Leeds was mad cool also, one of the best so far. Compared to Liverpool? Meh, whatever, I don’t know, very different places to play, I like both for different reasons.

What was the craziest crowd reaction you caught either here in Leeds tonight or on the rest of the Dirty Dike/Verb T album tour?

The craziest crowd reaction was probably here in Leeds, oh and Brighton.

What was the maddest thing you saw?

Dirty Dike flying kicking a hooker into a swimming pool while Sammy B-Sides shot hadoukens at a midget spy. Also, Scissor flooded a hotel room and I splashed about in massive carpet puddles, it was great. Me and Molotov was also trapped in a hotel room because the boat hadn’t docked yet and we possibly might of been waterlogged. What else? We got smashed into on the motorway and it fucked the minibus up. I’m sure plenty of other shit happened but I can’t remember.

Photography by Seren Heyward-Jones

How many shows have you been on?

Scott : Molotov, how many shows have we been on?

Molotov : This week? This is six out of seven.

Scott : Is that even a lot of gigs? It’s not even that many. Nah, it’s seven out of eight. That’s my answer to the question. This is seven and this is Leeds, tomorrow is Manchester and that’s the last gig. It’s been great, it’s been brilliant.

Let’s talk Cult of The Damned…

Cult of The Damned, all my motherfuckers in one place at one time, it’s a beautiful thing. The vinyl’s just dropped, we’ve nearly sold out already, if you don’t have one you need to get one, or else, especially if you like rap music from the UK. Super-duper-sweg lad.

What is your favourite element of the project?

Basically my favourite element of the project is that I’m not on it that much. That’s my favourite thing because I can separate myself from it a bit more and listen to it as a fan, I just tried to drop some mad sweg boss shit on Cult of The Damned that kicked off the joint.

My favourite track other than the first joint is called Leave With Us, Salar smashes it, track 1 one on Side B bro you need to hear that shit if you haven’t laa, that shit is crazy.

Before “Cult of The Damned” got released, technically Children of The Damned’s last collaborative project dropped 6 years ago. Has that been building up to the “Cult of The Damned” EP or was that because the artists were busy focussing on their solo careers?

No it wasn’t building up, everyone just naturally did their own thing. Shout out to Barebase, he made a beautiful movie called Mind The Gap, it’s incredible and he’s a motherfucking OG. Basically, people have just been doing their own things, everyone was very young when we started Children of The Damned, we were all just getting smashed and making music. Barebase is like a motherfucking movie director, he’s just an ill dude, then obviously Milkavelli formerly known as Monster Under The Bed, you know about him… Recently we decided to bring it back, put all the youngers in it and mix it up, they’re all a bunch of little bastards… (but I love them all).

Photography by Seren Heyward-Jones

See, when I first heard the Cult of The Damned single, immediately I was thinking of the COTD track Damnednation, the introductory to COTD’s début album “Tourettes Camp”…

Do you know why? Because it’s produced by… Well, actually Damnednation was produced by me, but most of the album and all the best songs on “Tourettes Camp” are produced by Col. Mustard. He also provided the stems for the beat on the Cult of The Damned single. He had that shit from way back then. Col. Mustard, he gave us the stems for the beat and Reklews made the beat sound wonderful.

But that’s why it reminds you of “Tourettes Camp” because it’s Col. Mustard who was involved in “Tourettes Camp” – he produced Choke, Killing Jar, Ode To Nothing… Actually that’s probably it. Oh and It’s Them, he produced that too.

On the “Cult of The Damned” EP, Reklews brings his signature cold-saggin‘ sound. Was he involved in “Tourettes Camp”?

We didn’t know Reklews then. I met him later in a club when I was smashed… I think Tony might of knew him actually, just from meeting him about in clubs at hip hop nights and whatever. Tony was giving us a lift home from town this one time and had a beat CD from him and played it to us and I liked some of the beats on it so said I’d go round the studio with him next time he goes. The rest is history. Reklews only produced the one song on the EP though la, he done Sugar Water and he co-produced the lead song, which was actually made up of Col. Mustard stems. He like worked some magic on it and souped it up. Sorted the bass out and all that.

But yeah, what’s my point, he didn’t actually have any beats on “Tourettes Camp” basically is my point. Only me, Sly Moon, Col. Mustard and these German fellas called Beatgees produced on “Tourettes Camp”. Reklews came later on, but he is a G laa.

Photography by Seren Heyward-Jones

I’ve always rated Tony Broke’s style, we clocked his fire “Money In The Bag” EP a while back, is he going to be releasing any more solo projects?

Tony Broke? Yes… He’s the OG.

He’s got a few tunes, he’s got some songs with Illinformed recorded and a few other things here and there. He’s a busy guy man, just in life in general, he’s a fucking grimey motherfucker but also he genuinely helps people, you know what I’m saying? He helps troubled kids, he teaches them, he’s a teacher. He helped me, he taught King Grubb how to rap, King Grubb wouldn’t even rap if it wasn’t for Tony Broke. Most of us wouldn’t, he used to give us confidence and we used to go on the hardest stages in Liverpool only because Tony Broke was with us.

So the answer to your question is… Yes!

My final question – what’s on the horizon for Lee Scott over the rest of 2015?

Cult Mountain 2, Cult of The Damned EP which just dropped. A few more shows planned and stuff like that. I have a lot of material but I’m just going to wait for a bit now.

Lee Scott, thank you for your time.

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Watch for Fabricate’s live review of the event & another exclusive interview

]]>http://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-lee-scott-west-indian-centre-leeds-161015/feed/05739Introducing… Roots Intertwinedhttp://www.fabricate-uk.com/introducing-roots-intertwined/
http://www.fabricate-uk.com/introducing-roots-intertwined/#respondFri, 09 Oct 2015 11:27:04 +0000http://www.fabricate-uk.com/?p=5719Roots Intertwined is a fresh clothing brand which was born in Hyde Park, Leeds at the start of 2015. The owner Seren Heyward-Jones has always been creative from a young age and having achieved a degree in Music Production, she decided the time was right to fulfil her undying passion for […]

Roots Intertwined is a fresh clothing brand which was born in Hyde Park, Leeds at the start of 2015. The owner Seren Heyward-Jones has always been creative from a young age and having achieved a degree in Music Production, she decided the time was right to fulfil her undying passion for fashion. Inspired by her fascination for underground culture, the brand takes influence from a keen interest in sacred geometry, hence home-made designs such as the Flower Of Life. All her unisex designs are entirely D.I.Y. as she simply believes that if clothes are hand-made then they are unique.

The sweats and tee’s are 100% cotton to ensure for a comfortable fit and are available in all sizes for both men and women. The official website was recently launched to exhibit the fruits of her labour – Seren shall soon also be producing one-off limited edition clothing items. She’s also working on developing a Youtube channel which shall feature a selection of musical heads in her area, so make sure you stay locked to the Roots Intertwined movement which is quickly taking flight.

To visit the Roots Intertwined store and to keep up-to-date with their new clothing editions follow the links below:

]]>http://www.fabricate-uk.com/introducing-roots-intertwined/feed/05719Interview: 10 Questions with Lee Scott – “Cult Of The Damned” EPhttp://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-10-questions-with-lee-scott-cult-of-the-damned-ep/
http://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-10-questions-with-lee-scott-cult-of-the-damned-ep/#respondTue, 29 Sep 2015 16:43:15 +0000http://www.fabricate-uk.com/?p=5686Yesterday saw the release of the “Cult Of The Damned” single from Blah Records, featuring fresh material from members of Blah’s infamous Children Of The Damned collective as well as bars from newer recruits to the cult-like roster. Any old-school UK hip-hop head will tell you why people are making their […]

Yesterday saw the release of the “Cult Of The Damned” single from Blah Records, featuring fresh material from members of Blah’s infamous Children Of The Damned collective as well as bars from newer recruits to the cult-like roster.

Any old-school UK hip-hop head will tell you why people are making their excitement heard following the announcement of the upcoming 4 track Cult Of The Damned EP – they’ll probably tell you that if it goes in nearly as hard as COTD used to do, the record could easily be amongst the most heated UK hip-hop projects of 2015.

Long story short, we clocked the video below, ended up repeatedly listening to it about 100 times and felt we had to hit up Blah for more information.

COTD veteran Lee Scott gave us 10 exclusive insights into the Cult Of The Damned.

Can you shout out the members of Cult Of The Damned – is it all Blah?

This particular EP features some of the original COTD guys, myself, Sly Moon, Salar, Bill Shakes, King Grubb and Tony Broke and then Black Josh, Stinkin Slumrok, Bisk and Sleazy F Baby but there isn’t an actual strict roster at the moment.

The title track bangs as hard as old school Children Of The Damned did, would you describe the movement as a COTD revamp?

I guess so, that’s a Col. Mustard beat too, he was one of the original producers on Tourettes Camp, the beat stems were from that period too. Reklews made it bang and arranged it and done some other shit to it as well.

We’re fast approaching the 10th anniversary of COTD’s Tourettes Camp release, will Cult Of The Damned mean the unlikelihood of future live Children Of The Damned showcases, or will there be both?

Cult of The Damned is a continuation of Children of The Damned it’s the same thing basically.

How long has Cult Of The Damned EP been in the makings for and what instigated its emergence?

It’s been done for a sec. Just had a few beats and thought it’d be a good idea. There are no rap posse’s in the UK that have all them mad styles so we thought there was a gap that needed filling.

The EP features 4 tracks, are any of them thematic, or are they more about demonstrating individual styles and flows?

Fuck no, this is COTD shit son, we can all save the world and cry on our solo shit.

Which is your favourite track from Side B of the vinyl copy & why?

Probably Leave With Us because I always liked that beat since 2007 and Salar fucking smashes it to death but they’re all good. My favourite changes depending on the day.

Are there going to be any more visuals lifted from the EP?

Maybe.

What was the craziest experience of filming the Cult Of The Damned visual, and do you want to shout of the people who handled the filming process?

We filmed the bulk of it on the same day we were shooting with The New British magazine so naturally everybody was very hype and shit. We all started filming in KFC and they tried booting us out shit was funny but I wouldn’t call it a crazy experience. Yes, shout out Broken Antenna aka Myles and Gus Da Bus, they’re the best. They done Yes He Did, Tunnel Deep and Butter Tits.

The EP launch is going down in Brixton on November 14th, who’s supporting Cult Of The Damned?

Well we got Strange U, Trellion and Sniff and Drae Da Skimask on the bill so far. Probably add some more.

How many copies of the limited edition vinyl are being pressed? – Will it be available on any other formats?

]]>http://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-10-questions-with-lee-scott-cult-of-the-damned-ep/feed/05686The Bluntskins – Blaze The Endo Ft. Tommy Dockerzhttp://www.fabricate-uk.com/the-bluntskins-blaze-the-endo-ft-tommy-dockerz/
http://www.fabricate-uk.com/the-bluntskins-blaze-the-endo-ft-tommy-dockerz/#respondSun, 13 Sep 2015 22:22:54 +0000http://www.fabricate-uk.com/?p=5676 Mancunian rap collective The Bluntskins – Cheech, Bill Sykes and producer Pro P – have just released a psychedelic visual taken off their addictive 2nd album Cali Ku$h. Blaze The Endo features Tommy Dockerz and is slightly remixed for the video version from the album cut, as Martin Connor handles […]

Mancunian rap collective The Bluntskins – Cheech, Bill Sykes and producer Pro P – have just released a psychedelic visual taken off their addictive 2nd album Cali Ku$h. Blaze The Endo features Tommy Dockerz and is slightly remixed for the video version from the album cut, as Martin Connor handles the hook duties this time around. There’s some cannabis advocacy, some outlandish rhymes and a banging beat which is funky as hell. Ensure you don’t sleep on this anthem any longer and check it out above.

]]>http://www.fabricate-uk.com/the-bluntskins-blaze-the-endo-ft-tommy-dockerz/feed/05676Interview: 10 Questions with Gwyn Widowhttp://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-10-questions-with-gwyn-widow/
http://www.fabricate-uk.com/interview-10-questions-with-gwyn-widow/#respondThu, 10 Sep 2015 18:59:16 +0000http://www.fabricate-uk.com/?p=5639In a world-first exclusive, we managed to arrange access with a fabled artist who goes by the pseudonym Gwyn Widow, a lyrical producer who prefers cotching in shadows in order to avoid unneeded attention from corrupted bobbies and local hermits. A tireless world traveller who regularly resides in a relatively peaceful region of Mid-Wales, […]

In a world-first exclusive, we managed to arrange access with a fabled artist who goes by the pseudonym Gwyn Widow, a lyrical producer who prefers cotching in shadows in order to avoid unneeded attention from corrupted bobbies and local hermits. A tireless world traveller who regularly resides in a relatively peaceful region of Mid-Wales, Gwyn has more stripes on his back than all the zebra’s we’ve ever encountered – combined. Although he prefers living almost entirely off-the-grid, he’s uploaded some gritty freestyle videos on various social media forums, which has attracted a die-hard 2012 cult following. On the down-low he’s been making more moves in the hip-hop game than a chess piece, including appearances on stages at Nozstock & Boomtown festivals in 2015, which only helped enhance his rising renown which holds huge weight in certain global communities.

I tracked him down on a hot summers day, after following vague directions on a dangerous route through some back streets and gloomy alleyways, before finally reaching his secretive eco-home for a cup of green tea. In the process he incredibly revealed never-before-heard insights into his ascent as an experimental hip-hop artist, his thoughts on the Welsh hip-hop scene, the effect the Conservative reign has had on his hilly ends and much more.

Gwyn Widow, I’ve come to visit you in this undisclosed location deep in the heart of Wales. Where are we and what have you been on today?

Right basically we’re here in Llanghanistan, sitting in the wagon like, middle of Wales, in the valley… Average day for me, I’ve woken up, I’ve had my breakfast, I’ve written some raps and I’ve been producing some beats with Dr Dre Newydd.

How long have you been rapping for and who were your influences when you started out?

I’ve been rapping as far back as I remember. My first influence was my cousin Terry, he’s got some wicked raps. After that I got into Master P, I got into Tribe Called Quest, I got into M&M’s as well for a little bit… and you know, just started from there really, probably been 15 year now.

What were your intentions with hip-hop in those days, were you chasing fame, money, respect?

I mean, you see the thing is right… I’ve never wanted the fame, the fame’s just come and I’ve not expected it, it’s all been a bit of a whirlwind right. Yeah I like the money. I like the women. But I just like the music most.

Can you recall the livest performance you’ve done since you emerged into hip-hop?

Probably… Biggest gig to date right, was the barn dance that we done down near Merthyr Tydfil, it was wicked night. Me and Dr Dre Newydd absolutely tore it up, couple of fights, lots of beers.

See, everybody I know has been talking about your high octane appearance during a switched-up NLP drum and bass set at Nozstock Festival 2015. How did you become affiliated with the NLP collective?

Right, me and those boys, we go way back right. You don’t even know. I was knocking about with them boys before a lot of people was born right, we been friends since 2012, we’re friends now, and we’re gonna be friends in 2012 and whatever like, it’s no big deal. They’re my boys.

Your set – was it all pre-written, or did you drop exclusive fire for the people?

Right, every time I rap it’s differently, but the same. You’re never gonna hear the equal bars right. It’s all brand new, but old.

I’ll be honest with you, we at Fabricate are yet to hear many decent Welsh hip-hop artists. Have you got any shout outs for the heads putting it down in your hilly ends?

In the valleys, in Llanghanistan, we’ve got Welsh Saddam, we’ve got The Valley Gaddaffi, we’ve got fucking Dr Dre Newydd on the one’s and twos, Tony Moses since day one, Alan Skilman. It’s a strong scene coming up right and there’s nothing much to it.

From your perspective, is the Welsh hip-hop scene thriving or dying?

Right from where I’m standing, there’s only one way right and that’s forward. By 2012 we’re gonna be there, putting Wales on the national map of the UK right. It’s going to be banging.

Can we expect any new material to be dropping from you in the near future?

Basically I’ve got my mixtape Indecent Expozion dropping in 2012, working on the EP, that’s called 2012, that’ll be dropping also some point in 2012. And watch out for my next song, dropping Spring 2012.

I’ll be honest, these ends are pretty shifty. From a political perspective… has it been hard to survive as a self-made lyricist, or have the ends really been effected badly by the Conservatives?

Now, I’m not gonna pretend that Mid-Wales is like a ghetto or Brooklyn or whatever, we’re not in Bombay out here. But we’ve got plenty of social problems here. You know, Wales has always been treated badly by the Conservatives, we’re not big fans. Unfortunately we’ve elected them and personally for me, they’ve cut the bus service, I can’t get up to Shrewsbury, I can’t do my shopping as easily as I once could right. Also they’re cutting the library times so I can barely log on my wi-fi to check my fan mails right so yeah, it’s a bit fucked isn’t it.

Gwyn Widow, that’s my 10 questions. Have you got any final shout outs?

Right big up all the boys, big up the NLP boys, big up Alan Skilman, big up the Dr Dre Newydd, all the raving crew, Shady K, Tony Moses, ARRMS, Jim Bin Laden, Lemonade Lenin, and yourself Evo. Peace out, see you all in 2012.

–

But hold your horses reader, there’s more. Gwyn Widow and his equally enigmatic counterpart Dr Dre Newydd allowed me to film an entirely fresh unprecedented freestyle session outside their wagon, exclusively for you heads who took the time out of your busy lives to read his words of wisdom. So, without further…